Football: Ex-Cal players get NFL combine invites

Former Cal players Deandre Coleman, Khairi Fortt and Richard Rodgers have received invitations to the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 19-25.

Here are thumbnails on all three (courtesy of Cal athletics):

* Deandre Coleman, DL, 6-5, 315, Seattle, WA (Garfield HS)

Coleman played in all 49 games possible with 25 starts during his career at Cal over the past four seasons after redshirting as a true freshman in 2009. He finished his career with 125 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss (-89 yards), 7.5 sacks (-39 yards), three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and four quarterback hurries. Coleman was a third-team All-Pac-12 selection of Phil Steele and an honorable mention All-Pac-12 choice by the league’s coaches as one of three Cal players to start all 12 games in 2013. He led the Golden Bears in tackles for loss (career-high 9.0) and tackle for loss yardage (-27 yards), while ranking third in sacks (2.5, -4 yards) and first among defensive linemen in tackles (40). Coleman played in the 2014 Senior Bowl following his senior collegiate season and contributed two tackles and a half tackle for loss for the winning South team.

* Khairi Fortt, LB, 6-2, 240 (Seattle, WA/Garfield HS)

Fortt was one of 12 national semifinalists for the 2013 Butkus Award at the collegiate level for the award given annually to the nation’s top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. Fortt started the first nine games of the 2013 season at Cal in his first and only year of action for the Golden Bears after redshirting in 2012 following his transfer from Penn State. Fortt, who missed the final three games of the 2013 campaign due to injury, recorded 64 tackles to rank third on the team after leading the squad for most of the season. He was 18th in the Pac-12 with an average of 7.1 stops per game. He added 3.5 tackles for loss (-5 yards) and 0.5 sacks (-1 yard). In two seasons at Penn State from 2010-11, Fortt played in 22 contests and compiled totals of 50 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss (-23 yards) and 2.5 sacks (-16 yards). Fortt was an early entry for the 2014 NFL Draft who is foregoing his final season of collegiate eligibility.

* Richard Rodgers, TE/WR, 6-4, 245 (Worcester, MA/St. John’s HS)

Rodgers played in 35 of 37 possible games while starting 11 contests during three seasons at Cal from 2011-13. He finished his career with 59 receptions for 896 yards receiving (15.2 ypr) and two touchdown catches. Rodgers had his best campaign as a junior in 2013 when he totaled career highs of 39 receptions and 608 yards receiving to rank third on the team in both categories. He had 20 catches for 288 yards as a 2012 sophomore. Rodgers was an early entry for the 2014 NFL Draft who is foregoing his final season of collegiate eligibility.